Vibrations on the clip ons

[yves norton seeley]

Hi there,
I gat vibrations on the clip ons from my Seeley and with broken fingers from my crash I must avoid this.
What I try:
I change the grips for 2 ply Driven Kraton Gel grips. Driven claim to reduce vibrations and arm pump.
I put heavy weights bar ends from Oberon. So far I don't try it on the road.
Hope to do it one of this days and keep you posted.
Any experience with this problem, let me know please.
Thanks
Yves

 

[Fast Eddie]

Yves, I‘m a fan of the old style Beston grips. Beware though, the ‘good’ quality ones are made in Japan and look nice, but they are rock solid, and thus defeat the entire object! The ‘cheap’ ones are made by Emgo and are really soft and ‘giving’.

Another option are ‘Grip Puppies’ these are soft foam sleeves that fit over your existing grips. They are quite good, but do make the grips rather fat.

You might also consider raised clip ons, the low clip ons can put weight on your wrists, reduce blood flow, and cause numbness etc (thats what I get anyway).

Here‘s a pic of the cheap, soft, comfortable, Emgo Beaton style grips:

 

[RoadScholar]

The length and wall thickness of your clip-ons may well be reacting to a harmonic vibration due to their length and wall thickness. Your placement of the bar end weights is a good direction to be going in, but the placement may actually be making the problem worse. I'm guessing that before you added the weights the vibrations were at a higher frequency and that now they are at a lower frequency, but at a higher energy level.

I suggest that you put the weigh inside the clip-ons and see what changes, I'd guess that the frequency and the energy level both decrease. You may need a longer bar with a thicker wall, possibly, if room, a gusset. The placement of your lever clamps will also have an effect, you may also want to try a solid bar.

Additionally changing the settings of your ISOs will have an effect; some combination of all should be able to shift the vibration above or below your comfort zone giving a more comfortable ride in the "zone" you like best. Others in this forum may have a more detailed view, but it all starts with the balance factor you chose when building the engine.

Best.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Additionally changing the settings of your ISOs will have an effect

Heretic.

Ain’t got no stinkin’ ISOs on his Seeley...

 

[Fast Eddie]

These are good raised clip ons, less snoopy than some who’s large radius swan necks force the bars to be overly wide to accommodate switches etc...

Dresda Swan Neck Clip on Handlebars 34mm 1 5/16 inch fitting

A pair of swan-neck, chromed clip on handlebars manufactured by Dresda of T45 aircraft quality steel. They are 34mm 1 5/16 inch diameter fitting and have 2 bolts on each fork leg fitting. The rise is 100mm 4 inches long and the bar measures 260mm 1

chris-knight-mcs.co.uk

 

[oldmikew]

My favourite grips are those fitted by Kawasaki to the zzr 6 .Very soft and they now grace my Nortons as well..

 

[Bernhard]

Heretic.

Ain’t got no stinkin’ ISOs on his Seeley...

Then why are you complaining about vibrations?

 

[acotrel]

With a rigidly mounted motor with a crank balance factor of 72% and high gearing, you should only get very low levels of vibration at 7000 RPM.. If you have already raised the balance factor, I would be checking for a loose bearing. My crank has a steel plug threaded into the hole in the bob-weight, which is held in by blue Loctite. The hole would have been the last thing the factory did to get smooth running with isolastics.. It was all about competing for the commuter market against the CB750 Honda. When you rev a normal Commando high with the low balance factor, the crank is still doing it's thing - trying to crack the crankcases.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Then why are you complaining about vibrations?

I’m not....

 

[Dan Kyle]

You did not show a picture of your Oberon Bar ends, I looked at their website and they are Stainless steel weights that attach directly to the Bars, they may help, but it sure sounds like you need more.
You might try what Honda has used for years, they rubber mount the weights, which will work better, maybe not well enough, but better. There are fancier way as well, I do not know how much time and money you are willing to do.
The picture shows some used ones, but you can get the idea how they work.

 

[RoadScholar]

Heretic.

Ain’t got no stinkin’ ISOs on his Seeley...

My bad. And I built a Seeley with a Triumph triple back in 1971, T150T 328; I should have remembered. I did make it street-able for my brother as part of the sale to him with the proviso that I got the first ride on the street, freeway BTW. He insisted on following me for this adventure and borrowed a Challenger. He was in the left lane I was behind him wondering why he wasn't going any faster or getting out of my way; I had the Seeley in the upper end of 3rd gear and pulled up next to him on the 3 or 4 foot shoulder at what seemed boringly slow; I was able to see the car's speedometer indicating something past 125 and realized that he had run out of steam or balls so I let it rip, redline 3rd and hit 7000 RPM in fourth, the few cars around me appeared as if they were parked, but the Seeley's speed was intoxicating, but the vibration was draining my energy, actually making me tired. I got off the freeway, found a gas station, went around back leaned the Seeley's right clip-on on a big tree, found a spot to lay down on and took a cat nap.

A race bike, I figured, wasn't suppose to be comfortable just built for speed and handling, the rider is the one who is supposed to be in good enough physical shape to stand the punishment for the duration of the race. My "race" went about 20 miles with no corners and no reason to use the brakes or change gears; these would have kept me alert and focused...

Yves, you built a race bike, now you'll have to live with all the discomforts that accompany the genre.: Ergos by Marquis de Sade, vibration by Norton and a seat that would give most riders butt burn in under 20 minutes.

If I was (much) younger I'd do it as well. Thumbs UP!

Best

 

[yves norton seeley]

Yves, I‘m a fan of the old style Beston grips. Beware though, the ‘good’ quality ones are made in Japan and look nice, but they are rock solid, and thus defeat the entire object! The ‘cheap’ ones are made by Emgo and are really soft and ‘giving’.

Another option are ‘Grip Puppies’ these are soft foam sleeves that fit over your existing grips. They are quite good, but do make the grips rather fat.

You might also consider raised clip ons, the low clip ons can put weight on your wrists, reduce blood flow, and cause numbness etc (thats what I get anyway).

Here‘s a pic of the cheap, soft, comfortable, Emgo Beaton style grips:

View attachment 18956View attachment 18957

My problem are my small hands with short fingers, Bestons are to fat, same thing with grip puppies and my fairing don't allowd raised clip ons
Thanks
Yves

 

[yves norton seeley]

Yves, I‘m a fan of the old style Beston grips. Beware though, the ‘good’ quality ones are made in Japan and look nice, but they are rock solid, and thus defeat the entire object! The ‘cheap’ ones are made by Emgo and are really soft and ‘giving’.

Another option are ‘Grip Puppies’ these are soft foam sleeves that fit over your existing grips. They are quite good, but do make the grips rather fat.

You might also consider raised clip ons, the low clip ons can put weight on your wrists, reduce blood flow, and cause numbness etc (thats what I get anyway).

Here‘s a pic of the cheap, soft, comfortable, Emgo Beaton style grips:

View attachment 18956View attachment 18957

 

[yves norton seeley]

My hands are small and my fingers short, Bestons and Grip Puppies are to fat for me. Raised clip ons is not a option becouse of the fairing
Thanks
Yves

 

[yves norton seeley]

The length and wall thickness of your clip-ons may well be reacting to a harmonic vibration due to their length and wall thickness. Your placement of the bar end weights is a good direction to be going in, but the placement may actually be making the problem worse. I'm guessing that before you added the weights the vibrations were at a higher frequency and that now they are at a lower frequency, but at a higher energy level.

I suggest that you put the weigh inside the clip-ons and see what changes, I'd guess that the frequency and the energy level both decrease. You may need a longer bar with a thicker wall, possibly, if room, a gusset. The placement of your lever clamps will also have an effect, you may also want to try a solid bar.

Additionally changing the settings of your ISOs will have an effect; some combination of all should be able to shift the vibration above or below your comfort zone giving a more comfortable ride in the "zone" you like best. Others in this forum may have a more detailed view, but it all starts with the balance factor you chose when building the engine.

Best.

Balancing factor was made by Kenny Cumings, the builder of the engine

 

[yves norton seeley]

Then why are you complaining about vibrations?

Becouse riding a Seeley is a fantastic experience whit some disagrement, with some changes you can try to make this disagrement disepear
Yves

 

[Bernhard]

Yves, I once owned a 750 Atlas, and can tell you now, sponge handlebar grips or other wise there was nothing I could do to get the vibrations down.

 

[yves norton seeley]

My bad. And I built a Seeley with a Triumph triple back in 1971, T150T 328; I should have remembered. I did make it street-able for my brother as part of the sale to him with the proviso that I got the first ride on the street, freeway BTW. He insisted on following me for this adventure and borrowed a Challenger. He was in the left lane I was behind him wondering why he wasn't going any faster or getting out of my way; I had the Seeley in the upper end of 3rd gear and pulled up next to him on the 3 or 4 foot shoulder at what seemed boringly slow; I was able to see the car's speedometer indicating something past 125 and realized that he had run out of steam or balls so I let it rip, redline 3rd and hit 7000 RPM in fourth, the few cars around me appeared as if they were parked, but the Seeley's speed was intoxicating, but the vibration was draining my energy, actually making me tired. I got off the freeway, found a gas station, went around back leaned the Seeley's right clip-on on a big tree, found a spot to lay down on and took a cat nap.

A race bike, I figured, wasn't suppose to be comfortable just built for speed and handling, the rider is the one who is supposed to be in good enough physical shape to stand the punishment for the duration of the race. My "race" went about 20 miles with no corners and no reason to use the brakes or change gears; these would have kept me alert and focused...

Yves, you built a race bike, now you'll have to live with all the discomforts that accompany the genre.: Ergos by Marquis de Sade, vibration by Norton and a seat that would give most riders butt burn in under 20 minutes.

If I was (much) younger I'd do it as well. Thumbs UP!

Best

making my race side car more comfortable make me a few second faster on any circuit

 

[yves norton seeley]

You did not show a picture of your Oberon Bar ends, I looked at their website and they are Stainless steel weights that attach directly to the Bars, they may help, but it sure sounds like you need more.
You might try what Honda has used for years, they rubber mount the weights, which will work better, maybe not well enough, but better. There are fancier way as well, I do not know how much time and money you are willing to do.
The picture shows some used ones, but you can get the idea how they work.

I will try to find this
Yves

 

[yves norton seeley]

Yves, I once owned a 750 Atlas, and can tell you now, sponge handlebar grips or other wise there was nothing I could do to get the vibrations down.

The 750 atlas is the worst bike ever made about vibrations.
The Beach Boys don't make "Good vibrations" after riding a Atlas, for sure not
Yves